taxes imposed on all property owners. Today
Greece is one of the countries with the highest
property taxes and the lowest salaries and pen-
sions in Europe.
Heavy property taxes were introduced in Greece
in 2011. However, the taxes did not only target the
rich, but every homeowner. (The majority of pri-
vate properties in Greece is family inheritance
and was not acquired with a bank loan or a mort-
gage as in other European countries.) To ensure
that the taxes were collected, the government
decreed the tax would be added to electricity bills.
Last year, the Athens court declared the collection
of the tax via electricity bills illegal, but the gov-
ernment overrode their decision. In the recent
round of Troika negotiations the creditors insisted
the emergency property tax remain in place.
If the Troika and the Greek government insist on
the implementation of these irrational and inhu-
mane policies, thousands of families are at risk of
becoming homeless in 2014.
Confiscated properties will be bought in auctions,
by real estate companies that already have sub-
sidiaries in Greece, at prices far below the real
market value.
3.
National defence capability is systematically
jeopardized. The morale of military personnel is
weakened due to huge salary reductions, current-
ly up to 30%, and heavy taxation. The systematic
degradation of our national defence industry fur-
ther increases dependence upon foreign
European and international defence industries,
with unimaginable consequences to the security
of our country.
Notwithstanding the above, the cheap fast-track
privatization of our “Hellenic Defence Systems”
(EAS) is considered by foreign investors to be a
huge opportunity.
If the EU continues to silently accept the austeri-
ty policies imposed by Germany on the rest of
Europe, not only Greece, but all the countries of
southern Europe will enter a long era of recession
and poverty that inevitably will jeopardize the sta-
bility and unity of the EU.
The roadmap for reconstructing a competitive, sover-
eign Greece within a united and democratic Europe of
equal partners is addressed in detail by the complete
government programme of Independent Hellenes at
Trade with Greece
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